MIKEL LANDA MEDICAL UPDATE

Photo credit: ©Szymon Gruchalski / Getty Image

Following his accident on Friday’s opening stage of the Giro d’Italia, Mikel Landa has been able to travel home, where he can begin his recovery.

After the accident, Mikel was transferred to hospital in Tirana, where he underwent a CT scan that revealed a stable fracture to the th11 vertebra. Mikel spent the night in an ICU ward, but after suffering no further complications, he was moved to a normal hospital room and arrangements were made of his trip home, where he can begin his recuperation. He is said to be in good spirits and optimistic for the future.

Speaking on his return home, Mikel said: “I would like to thank everybody for the messages of support and the love that I have received. I would also like to thank the medics both at the scene of the accident and at the hospital in Tirana, and to everybody at Soudal Quick-Step who has taken care of me and helped me to return to my home. It will be a long recovery but the support that has been shown to me will strengthen me on my journey.”

Everyone at Soudal Quick-Step would like to add our thanks to the medics and staff both at the site of the accident and at the hospital in Tirana for the care and attention given to Mikel.

- Soudal

DEBUTANT EVENEPOEL TO LEAD SOUDAL-QUICK STEP AT TOUR DE FRANCE

Remco Evenepoel finished second at this year's Paris-Nice (Thomas SAMSON

 Former Vuelta a Espana champion Remco Evenepoel will lead Soudal-Quick Step as the Tour de France starting this weekend, the Belgian team announced on Tuesday.

Evenepoel, 24, will be supported by Basque rider Mikel Landa in the mountains of the three-week race which begins on Saturday in Florence as well as Czech veteran Jan Hirt.

The Belgian will make his first appearance on the Tour, having won the 2022 Vuelta and finished 12th in last year's edition of the Spanish race.

"Riding the Tour de France is the dream of every kid who falls in love with cycling," Evenepoel said in a team statement.

"It's something I too have dreamed about since the moment I rode my bike.

"I would like to have a good Tour and get some nice results, but let’s not forget it’s my debut in this hard and beautiful event which is unlike any other, so the plan is to discover the race, take it one day at a time and see where this leads us," the 2022 world road race champion added.

Evenepoel is also joined in the team by compatriots Louis Vervaeke, Yves Lampaert and Ilan Van Wilder as well as Italian Gianni Moscon and Dane Casper Pedersen.

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe misses out to focus on the Paris Olympics.

French team Arkea-B&B Hotels also announced their team for the Grand Tour with sprinter Arnaud Demare leading their hopes for a stage win on home soil.

Demare's fellow Frenchmen Kevin Vauquelin and Clement Champoussin are also in the team as well as Spaniards Crisitan Rodriguez and Raul Pierna Garcia, Italian Luca Mozzato, Belgian Amaury Capiot and Briton Daniel McLay.

The Tour begins in Florence before ending in Nice on July 21, with Paris, the regular location for the final stage, unavailable due to the Games.

- AFP